These maternity photos at the Biltmore were taken just a week before the life-altering storm Helene. None of us could have imagined what was about to come. A friend of mine (also a woman) once described Helene as “a perimenopausal woman,” and I couldn’t help but laugh at the comparison—two days of tears, an explosive outburst at full force, and then sunshine again by noon. But laughter aside, the storm left us all in shock and disbelief. We were suddenly without electricity, water, and cell service. Many homes were destroyed, lives were lost, and everything slowed down as we focused only on the basics.

That’s why I’m so grateful we were able to capture Justley’s maternity session at the Biltmore when we did. She and Nicholas were visiting from out of state, and they turned out to be among the last visitors to the region for quite some time. With so many locations damaged—and with no one (myself included!) even thinking about photos—the pause in work was long. The Biltmore Estate was one of the first places to reopen after the storm, and I was there on November 2nd, photographing my first post-hurricane session on the very day they welcomed guests back. And the Biltmore was my place to go for many months after.

Enjoy these maternity photos of Justley with Nicholas. I know they are wonderful parents to their baby girl.

I am a Family Photographer in Asheville, NC specializing in photographing families as they grow and change. My areas of expertise are maternity photography, newborn photography, family and children photography.